Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-03-30


~ fsslfna, fson ~ somantss 3
~ m 1woald nos ~ her 70 marry NJ
mill ! - N bustneGs TOR myself, and
INUa8 p9nco hor In he pooffion Of . pros.
perous tradesman's wifs. Idiot that I was,
net - - suFs that I should b fore
sAnd nov that Jon are 70 near the sum-
nit ct your vishes!' apostrophizsd his
10 ~ assorishmsnt! The ofer Of
most extraordinary piecs Of good fortune
he knows there ars not half . dozen
such workmen in London, and that q
fortune h to b made by the improvements
Jon have suggested" replied Mrs. Lawson,
with pride.
SWELL" sighed Jasper, "from whatever
cause il Is, il comes like . mockery now. /
doubt II there will be an more improve
ments Of mime. I have little heart for any
thing
II can hardly forgive her for this Jasper;
and 20 much - ! have always said against
| him"
aThsrs It II, mother interrupted the
young man. almost iercely; III she loves
more he Is blamed the more she will cling
TO him. Why, / feel IL she we're plunged
into want and misery, her beauty gone, or
with evil tongues like Earpies darling at her,
such an hour Of % would be the n in
which / would show my alteration most
p~assionately, most madly, IL You like to
call u so-she would still be herscL and
II II herself that / love-"
Poor Mrs. Lawson was awed aud panied
BY her sons enthusiasm. Like many
other excellent- hearted and shrewd per-
sons, she was quite incapable Of following
those subtle emotions which are the most
real in the world, and more than any
others, influence human deslines; and yet
~ smere imagination" romance non
sense and a long list Of ct ceterns.
We must take the render . little behind
the curtain. Ralph Ashton was quite as
much In love with Lucy FREEZING a. his
nature permitted him to be; but his was
that common passion, Q purely selfish one.
He admired beauty, and would be proud Of
. wife thus endowed, and with mental nc.
quisements something beyond those COM
mon to hcr station. But his cunning brain
worked upon two Interior objects which
had nothing to do with these personal
qualities. Il so happened that q great deal
OF the business connected with the affairs
Of the bankrupt trustee had passed through
ING VulGc III WulSu AUutOu was CIuRlOY 0uy
and he knew enough Of IL tv form an al
most positive opinion that Lucy would
ultimately recover her little fortune. How
ever. he took. care to keep this knowledge
TO himself, and wo0ed her apparently with
the most disinterested affection. not even
at present limiting Of the plan which in his
own mind was well-nigh matured-that of
establishing his wife at the West-end OF
the town as q fashionable m~illiner, we'll
knowing that her taste md skill, and
superior manners. would be sure to raise
her to an eminence that must contribute
greatly to his ease and comfort. In short,
he planned 10 himself becoming something
like that very contemplate creature Of
deathless memory, Mantalini.
A few weeks passed over, and Ralph
Ashton and Lucy Freezing we're engaged to
be married. In justice 10 the latter, We
must say that she had only very lately sus-
pected the deep feelings which her life.
long companion. Jasper Lawson, enter
tanned for her, and the discovery made to
her by his vexed aud disappointed mother
psined her deeply. 1t is true, Mrs. Law.
son had sometimes limited ut her hopes for
the future, in phrases sufficiently intelligi-
BILE to Lucy; but, alasl Jasper concealed
his affection but too we'll. The time had
been, she knew, that he might have won
her; but 1t was gone by, she said. and she
could but regard him as q dear brother.
They were engaged, and all seemed fair
before them; and Ralph even ventured to
hint one day, from intelligence which he
declared be had received but a few hours
before. that perhaps, after all, Lucy would
have her money. He did this advisedly,
for he knew it was very likely that the
news would reach her in a day or two from
another quarter. Sorrow was coming,
however. as it generally does, from o quite
unexpected source. The ''aching" Of her
eyes. of which Lucy had complained as
the result OF excessive application to her
needle. became more distressing. and on
medical advice being obtained, the most
alarming symptoms were discovered. With
all the horrors of threatened blindness be-
fore her, Lucy was confined for several
weeks tc a darkened room; and months
must eiapse before there was any hope
that under the most favorable circum-
stances she could apply herself to her or
binary occupation. During this time
Jasper became q junior partner in the
establishment TO which he had belonged,
and, through his mother, his increased in
come contributed to the comforts and
medical attendance of the poor sufferer.
How could the o o destitute orphan re-
fuse help from him who asked TO be called
uCI OEOtQCIs Suo y uOt I6lObc lt-udyS
she felt that she would rather be assisted
by him than by her betrothed. How
strange are he intricacies OF human feel
ingl
During these months of suffering, the
affairs of the bankrupt trustee had been
thrown into chancery, and there was little
hope now for q settlement of them for
years. Poor Lucy! little could she have
thought that the day would come, and that
soon, In which the loss of her n
months Of suffering, partial blindness, and
personal Disagreement, would appear to
her like so many blessings in DISGUISE"
that had combined together to save her
from a gulf Of misery and ruin.
When the cure, 90 far as it could be ef-
fected, was complete, q white film still re-
manned TO mar the beauty and obscure the
vision Of one Of those deep blue eyes which
had seemed like stars Of light and love to
poor Jasper Lawson. Moreover, the cculist
declared that the preservation OF the other
eye depended on the most careful abstain.
ing from anything like straining the visual
organs.
Only q few days had lapsed since this
fat went forth, and but once had Ralph
Ashton seen Lucy since the bandaRes were
removed, when she received o letter from
him dictated by that one virtue, which
those who possess NO other are ever ready
to put prominently forward-prudence.
II pointed out some facts which she really
must have known before, and among them
the great change in their future prospects
her affection had made; limited very intelli-
gibly 1t the wisdom OF q separation, and
concluded by mentioning that unless she
desired TO see him, he should refrain from
calling again, and signing himself sever
her sincere friend
Lucy Freezing was for . while stunned
BY the blow; but though her young and
susceptible heart had been caught and led
astray, it was Of . nature too dne to be
broken by mockery-a falsehood.
@Do not tell me not to weep" she o.
claimed , few days afterwards, M she sat
between Mrs. Lawson and her son. with q
hand In one Of each; II know You would
comfort me 40 a dearest mother and brother
might. But do not tell me not 10 weep. It
cannot be that man whom ! have loved; and
with these foolish tears there seems TO pass
away some dream-some folly. Better this
t~~Ak>. AL.A shnc.l As~@n~ ku. A.